Healthy Santa!

‘Tis the season to celebrate the holiday season.
Can SENIORS do it and be healthy?

Santa may be an example of how we can do it. Santa was a bishop in Myra, Turkey, in 300 AD. Of course, this makes him very old, but he includes the habits common to centenarians everywhere. It is good for senior citizens to know it is easy to follow some of Santa’s healthy lifestyles. ~~smile

1. Santa eats a healthy diet; most of the time, it can even be plant-focused. Beets, turnips, kale, mustard, collards, onions, and potatoes are raised in the Arctic regions. Meat is plentiful with fish, seals, whales, and Caribou (Run! Run! Rudolph). Mrs. Claus would make an Arctic flatbread using wheat, barley, and rye flour.
2. Santa celebrates once a year with friends. There are 118,860,065 households in the US alone. An estimated 49% of adults with children and 22% without children prepare for Santa’s arrival on Christmas Eve. That totals 36.1 million families. Each home leaves out about three cookies at 100 calories each, plus an 8-ounce glass of milk (135 calories). So, Santa consumes at least 9.9 billion calories in that one night. I’m sure he shares with the elves. There actually is research on this!
3. He moves naturally. Santa’s lifestyle would be active. Raising reindeer, making toys, delivering toys, and gardening would provide plenty of exercise.
4. He has a purpose. He brings joy to children everywhere (adults, too).
5. He and Mrs. Claus are active in the community of elves and in the world.
6. He has a wide circle of friends with elves, adults, and children everywhere.
7. He puts family first. Throughout the year, the elves and Mrs. Claus provide a sense of family. During Christmas, all are considered his family.
8. He has a spiritual connection. He was a bishop in the early Christian Church, showing us that he revered the creator.
9. He has had a few stressful months getting everything ready for a hectic night of deliveries. He de-stresses by focusing his thoughts on the goal, the joy of giving. This keeps Santa a jolly old elf.

Let’s keep Santa a role model for health and life throughout this holiday season and 2026.